Gibberish Misery 2 (Blog 582)

Simon: Oh no. I’ve received another Adsense message I don’t understand and that I have to (apparently) do something about, otherwise something (I don’t know what) may or may not happen to my site’s adverts. Last time it turned out I had to do nothing at all despite all that was said (and there was a lot of it), hopefully this time will be exactly the same, now let’s get stuck in. Rather worryingly it begins with gibberish straight away…

Adsense: New signal for age-related compliance: Tag for age treatment (TFAT).

Simon: Well, traffic lights are examples of signals, so we have a kind of traffic light or something similar that relates to age and compliance (not sure how to define that word). I don’t know what tag for age treatment means, although I CAN guess what TFAT is short for. All and all, it’s not a good start, is it? I really do HATE reading this kind of stuff, I have to say. It continues…

Adsense: May-18-2026

Simon: That’s a date. In particular when I got the message, all good!

Adsense: To help publishers (that’s me!) navigate evolving (Simon - i.e. developing!) global (Simon - worldwide) age-related regulations (such as US State App Store Bills, GDPR, and COPPA), Google is introducing the Tag for age treatment (TFAT). (Simon - look saying TFAT twice doesn’t make things any clearer >:( )This new signal provides a unified way to manage ad request protections for different age groups.

Simon: Ok, so we have Adsense trying to ‘help’ me (speaking English would be a good start) navigate (like driving, maybe?) across the whole world in a way that relates to age, various companies and policemen (or coppas) and Google is introducing tags for age treatment. Okaaaaay. The new signal gives me a way to control the demands of adverts of different age groups (I DO understand those last three words). Look, I’m going to be frank with you: I’m angry, Adsense. This writing isn’t a joke, by the way. You do understand that, don’t you?

• Adsense: • Unified API migration (Simon - API means Application Programming Interface and Google helps me to understand what that means by saying ‘think of an API like a waiter in a restaurant’ :S). TFAT replaces the legacy tagForChildDirectedTreatment (TFCD) and tagForUnderAgeOfConsent (TFUA) settings, which will be deprecated in future GPT or SDK versions that support TFAT. 

Simon: Ok, so the waiter in the restaurant wants to travel to another country and then replace TFAT that graffitis on children’s medicine and underage settings which will later be disallowed in Generative Pre-trained Transformer, or Software Development Kits that support TFAT.

• Adsense: • Introduction of new TFAT setting: (Simon - Look, what in GOD’S NAME DOES THAT MEAN?)

  • CHILD: Functionally replaces TFCD/TFUA=True. (Simon - The child’s function replaces TFCD/TFUA and that’s true? I have a better idea, how about it replaces the children’s FHGGKD/FFFKSSDD????)

  • TEEN: New Publishers (me!) can now specifically signal for a "TEEN" age treatment. This applies to specific ad-serving protections for teens. (Simon - Something to do with not showing adverts to teens… Simple enough, but how do I do that? Maybe I could FJNSDMMEDDDMSSCMCL?)

  • UNSPECIFIED: Default state (equivalent to TFCD/TFUA=No or UNSPECIFIED). Passing UNSPECIFIED does not override user privacy consent strings (TCF/GPP) or other indications of sensitive users or content. Google will still apply the most conservative restriction present. (Simon - Wow, you have to ask strings for privacy? And strings are sensitive? I had no idea. I guess I’ll be extra kind and sympathetic to strings from now on…)

• Publisher action required: (Simon - Oh God, what in the world am I supposed to do?) Technical updates are needed (Simon - got it so far) to replace (Simon - m-hmm) the deprecated (Simon - not 100% sure about that word) tags (Simon - graffiti) with the new age treatment (Simon - using crystals to heal people is new age, but I don’t understand what that means in THIS context) API in upcoming web (GPT) and app (GMA and IMA SDK) releases to facilitate compliance efforts and maintain access to the latest features. (Simon - Yeah, ok. Sorry, but I don’t know what that means AT ALL).

Simon: Right, Adsense seems to be discussing string theory, a subject very well known for being extremely complicated, now things have been made weirder as strings have feelings, and all I want to do is continue showing adverts on my site. Let’s see if Adsense can offer me some support… So, support, how do I replace deprecated tags with new age treatment? Ok, the article ‘Tag a site or ad request for age restricted treatment’ has come up. Makes sense I suppose, but ‘changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) (Simon - oh, that’s what it means, I thought it referred to policemen) went into effect on July 1st 2013!!!!!!!!!!!! Look, I’m sorry but I don’t a CLUE what you want me to do or what you’re talking about, so I’m going to ignore you. :( It’s worked for me in the past, if it’s such a big issue, send another message, just in English next time. Now I know it’s ME looking bad right now, but if you haven’t actually sent me an email about the matter, just an announcement on Adsense that’s very easy to miss (I wish I did) I’m not taking you seriously! No actually, I think it’s time to get some more advice, so I will be phoning the Sophisticated Egg.

Simon: Hello, I’ve been confounded by gibberish in Adsense and I don’t what to do. I do understand I’ve been given instructions, but that’s basically it.

SE: Oh I know what you mean. I wouldn’t worry about it, if I were you. Did you get an email from the company?

Simon: No, just an update. It was easy to miss.

SE: Well there you go! If a policeman whispered to you ‘Get on the floor’ from a hundred metres or so away and you kept standing, (an easy request to miss) it would be the policeman in the wrong if you didn’t move!

Simon: Yeah!

SE: But to be clear, you do know a policeman wouldn’t whisper to you to get on the floor from over one hundred metres away?

Simon: Sure.

SE: Ok, good. Is that all you have to ask me about?

Simon: Adsense aren’t going to be mad at me, are they?

SE: I don’t know about mad… They’ll think you’re entitled and lazy maybe…

Simon: I’m not lazy, it’s just I could barely understand a word. If anything there should be an online translator when it comes to terms and conditions…

SE: That’s actually an interesting idea. I’m not sure what can be done about the acronyms, though… I bet you read lots of acronyms!

Simon: You mean ‘initialisms’…

SE: Ooh, nice word. I’m proud of you.

Simon: Thank you very much! Ok, bye Jeff.

SE: Bye.

Simon: Right, I’ll forget about it, then. And on that gambling note… Bye!